Zipper foot attachment for sewing machines



July 5, 1966 R. B. HOWELL 3,259,090

ZIPPER FOOT ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed 001;. 4, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 '4 IO 3| 53 5| g x iFn ROBERT B. HOWELL INVENTOR. 4| I BY g e 23 16 4230484 Mvk ATTORNEYS July 5, 1966 R. B. HOWELL ZIPPER FOOT ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 4, 1962 FIG ROBERT B.

HOWELL INVENTOR.

BY g v ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,259,090 ZIPPER FOOT ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Robert ll. Howell, Seattle, Wash, assignor to Unique Zipper Distributing (30., Tacoma, Wash., a corporation of Washington Filed Oct. 4, 1962, Ser. No. 228,481 8 Claims. (Cl. 112-240) This invention relates generally to attachments for sewing machines, and more particularly to a foot attachment adapted for use as a zipper foot attachment for a variety of household type sewing machines.

In conventional, household sewing machines, the needle bar carrying the sewing needle executes an up-and-down movement which is synchronized with the action of the feed dog whose function is to move the cloth on for a specified distance after each stitch has been made. In order to obtain a regular, continuous feed, the cloth must always be pressed downwardly against the teeth of the feed dog. This function is performed by the presser foot, which is attached to the clothes presser bar, which in turn is continuously pressed down by a spring. The presser foot is made detachable so that various specialized attachments may be used in place of the foot ordinarily used on the machine.

A zipper foot is a specialized component which performs not only the pressing function of a foot, but also serves to locate a zipper strap with its row of zipper teeth, as the strap is being sewn to a garment. Although zipper feet have come to be commonly used in industrial type sewing machines, their use has been much more limited with household sewing machines. One of the main reasons for this is that the household sewing machines presently on the market have various types of presser bars to which zipper foot attachments must be secured, which situation has previously necessitated a variety of different zipper foot attachments. Not only does this cause inconvenience for the retailer in that there is the necessity of stocking various attachments, but the owner of a household machine is often unaware of the model number and sometimes the make of her machine, so that she would not, without going to the trouble of finding out this information, be able to select the proper foot attachment.

In view of this, it is a general object of the invention to provide a zipper foot device whereby a zipper foot can be attached to a selected one of several different types of presser bars used in a large number of present day household type sewing machines.

In the accompanying drawings:

. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a zipper foot attachment comprising an assembly that is secured to one type of presser bar used in a number of conventional present day sewing machines, the attachment being shown in its operating position with respect to a zipper strap and sewing machine needle.

FIG. 2 is a second perspective view of the zipper foot assembly and presser bar shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of the zipper foot attachment and presser bar of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 66 of FIG. 4, with the presser bar being shown in broken lines.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of an adapter differing from that shown in FIGS. 1 through 6, and arranged to be able to be attached to the foot component so as to form a modified zipper foot attachment adapted to be secured to another type of presser bar.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of yet another type of adapter to be used to form a further modified zipper foot attachment for yet another type of presser bar.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the foot component of my invention, which foot component is shown as being used separately by being directly attached to a fourth type of presser bar.

FIG. 10 is a rear elevational view of the foot component and presser bar of FIG. 9.

There are four diiferent types of presser bars most commonly used in todays sewing machines. So that a zipper foot may be used with any of the machines having one of these four types of bars, there is provided, according to the preferred embodiment of my invention, one foot component 10, and three separate adapters designated 11, 12 and 13, respectively. For one type of presser bar, the foot component is used separately and is secured directly to this presser bar in the manner shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. For each of the other three types of presser bars, the foot component is used with a respective one of the three adapters to form one of three different attachment assemblies. The general manner in which this is accomplished is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 6, wherein is shown at 11 one of the three adapters as it is used in conjunction with the foot component.

The other two adapters 12 and 13 are shown, respectively, in FIGS. 7 and 8. The manner in which each of these are utilized with the foot component to form a zipper foot assembly is substantially the same as that illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 6, so these two adapters are not shown in assembled position with the foot component 10.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, it can be seen that the foot component 10 is integral and comprises a zipper foot 14, an ankle 15 upstanding from the heel 16 of the foot, and a forked portion 17 comprising two laterally spaced tines 18, which extend rearwardly from the upper portion of the ankle. As shown herein, two reinforcing webs 20 are provided on each side of the foot component, each web extending from the lower outside edge of a respective tine 18 to the respective continuous rear outside edge of the ankle 15 and heel 16. Each of the tines 18 project inwardly a moderate distance beyond its related web 20 to form a related downwardly facing, longitudinal shoulder 21.

The particular configuration of the foot portion 14 of the component 10 is old in the art. The bottom of the foot is formed with two side-by-side longitudinal slots 22, each to serve as a guidew-ay for a related one of the two rows of zipper teeth which are to be fastened to a gar-ment. At the longitudinal center line of the toe 23 of the foot 14 is a vertical through opening 24 to receive the sewing machine needle in a manner that it is properly located as it executes its up and down sewing motion.

The manner in which this foot 14 functions is illustrated in FIG. 1, wherein is shown in broken lines a sewing machine needle 26, a zipper strap 27, and a row of zipper teeth 28 secured thereto in a conventional manner. The guideway 23, by receiving the teeth 28, serves to locate the zipper strap 27 with respect to the needle 26 so that the strap 27 is properly stitched to a garment along a seam line adjacent the row of teeth 28. Of course, be sides serving its guide function, the foot 14 performs the conventional function of a presser foot in that it pushes the strap 27 and the underlying garment (not shown) against the feed dog (not shown) of the machine, which, as before indicated, moves the garment on for a specified distance after each stitch has been made.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 6, there is shown an adapter 11 attached to the foot component 11]- to form a zipper foot attachment which is secured to the particular type of pressure bar shown at 30. The overall configuration of this adapter 11, as viewed from above, is that of a U-shaped member, comprising forward and rear legs 31 and 32, respectively, which are joined by a longitudinally extending web 33. The channel-like recess 34 defined by the U shape of the adapter 11 is vertically aligned with the slot 36 defined by the two aforementioned tines 18 of the foot component 1t), in a manner to provide a single recess sufiiciently deep to receive the presser bar 30.

So that the adapter 11 may be attached to the foot component 10, the lower portion 37 of the rear leg 32 is slotted on each side, as at 38, so as to have the general configurations of an inverted T. These slots 38 are formed in a manner that each receives a related tine 18 in a relatively snug tongue and groove fit.

The lower center portion of the front leg 31 protrudes downwardly a short distance and is notched as at 49, to form a front downwardly reaching catch lip 41 and a rear stop piece 42. The upper surface of the ankle 16 of the foot component is sloped rearwardly, so as to form a front, upwardly projecting crown 43 to engage the catch 41. With this catch 41 so engaging the crown 43, the lower, forwardly directed face of the stop piece 42 bears against the sloped top ankle surface so as to prevent forward movement of the adapter 11 with respect to the foot component 10.

While one side 46 of the one type of presser bar shown at 30 is flat so as to fit against the inner facing fiat surface of the web 33, the other side 47 is convexly curved, which requires that the adjacent tine 18 be formed with a lateral arcuate cut-out 48 to permit the lower end of the presser bar to extend into the slot 36 defined by the tines 18. The web 33 has near its lower center portion a laterally aligned through opening 50 to receive a hold screw 51, the outer portion of the web being counterbored at 52 to accommodate the head 53 of this hold screw. The lower portion of the presser bar 30 is formed with a threaded socket 54 which is aligned with the opening 50 so as to be able to engage the hold screw 51. At the top portion of the tine 18 that is adjacent the web 33, there is an arcuate cut-out 56 to accommodate the lower portion of the head 53 of the screw 51. When the zipper foot attachment 10-11 is secured to the presser bar 30 by means of the hold screw 51, the head 53 serves a locating function with respect to the foot component 10 and adapter 11, in that it fits into the cut-out 56 in a manner to prevent longitudinal movement between the foot component 11) and adapter 11.

In operation, when it is desired to provide a zipper foot attachment for a sewing machine having the type of presser bar shown at 30, the adapter shown at 11 is selected and brought into securing engagement with the foot component 10. This is accomplished by moving the adapter 11 forward onto the tines 18, with the slots 38 at the lower end of the rear adapter leg 32 coming into engagement with the tines 18. There is sufiicient flexibility in the tongue and groove fit of these slots with the tines so that the front lip 41 of the adapter may be sprung over the crown 43 at the top of the ankle 16. The rear protruding portion 42 of the front leg 31, besides engaging the top of the ankle to limit further forward movement, fits between the fork slot 36 to prevent lateral movement of the front of the adapter with respect to the foot component.

With this attachment unit 1011 being so assembled, this unit is brought into engagement with the presser bar 30 so that the bar fits into channel 34 of the adapter and into the slotl 36 between the tines 18, with the adapter opening 50 being in alignment with the presser bar socket 54. The bold screw 51 is inserted in the through opening 50 and threaded into the socket 54, so as to hold the unit 10-11 securely to the bar 30. In this position, the

zipper foot 14 of this unit can perform its guide and presser function in the aforedescribed manner.

The adapter shown in FIG. 7 is used when it is desired to provide a zipper foot unit to be secured to a second of the four common types of presser bars. This presser bar (not shown) differs from that shown at 30 in FIGS. 1 through 6 in that it slants forwardly to a moderate extent, and its hold screw receiving socket is positioned at a slightly higher level than that of the presser bar 30. However, the overall configuration of the adapter 12 shown in FIG. 7 is quite similar to the adapter 11 of FIGS. 1 through 6, and similar parts will have similar numerical designations, with a prime distinguishing the two.

It can be seen in FIG. 7 that this adapter 12 comprises front and rear legs 31' and 32', respectively, which are connected one to another by a longitudinally extending web 33'. These members 31'33' define a channel 34 which is generally vertically aligned but has a moderate rearward tilt to conform to the slant of its related presser bar. The front notch 41) and the slots 38' at the rear leg 32 are similar in structure and function to their counter parts 40 and 38 in adapter 11. However, the web 33', instead of being formed with a circular through opening to receive a hold screw is conveniently formed with a slot 60 which opens to the top end of the web 33'. Thus, the adapter 12 may be conveniently moved upward onto its presser bar so that the slot 60 comes into proper engagement with the hold screw of the presser bar.

FIG. 8 shows a third adapter 13 to be secured to yet another type of presser bar. The configuration of this adapter 13 differs from that shown at 12, in that the front and rear legs 31" and 32" and the web 33" are not slanted from the vertical. However, the function and operation of this adapter is substantially the same as those shown at 11 and 12.

When it is desired to provide a zipper foot for the fourth type of presser bar, shown at 61 in FIGS. 9 and 10, the foot component 10 is used separately. This presser bar 61 is provided at its lower end with a vertically aligned hold nut 62, which serves to raise or lower an inverted hold screw 63. The head 64 of this screw is positioned at the lower end thereof and engages the downwardly facing shoulders 21 of the tines 18 so as to press these tines firmly against the lower surface of the hold nuts and thereby fix the foot component 10 to the presser bar in its proper working position.

It is believed that the invention will have been clearly understood from the foregoing detailed description of my now-preferred illustrated embodiments. Changes in the details of construction may be resorted to without departure from the spirit of the invention and it is accordingly my intention that no limitations be implied and that the hereto annexed claims 'begiven the broadest interpretation to which the employed language fairly admits.

What I claim is:

1. A foot attachment device so arranged that a foot is able to be secured to any selected one of a plurality of different types of sewing machine presser bars, said device comprising:

(a) a foot component comprising a foot having an ankle portion fixed to, and being upstanding from, the heel thereof, a forked member fixed to said ankle and having two rearwardly extending spaced tines to define a slot opening therebetween, by which tines said foot component can be secured to a first selected presser bar by hold screw means which reaches through said slot opening and engages said tines in a manner to hold said foot component to said presser bar,

(b) an adapter by which said foot component can be secured to a second selected presser bar different from said first presser bar, said adapter comprising means to secure said adapter to said foot component and a body portion defining a vertical recess in alignment with and opening into the slot opening between said tines to allow said second presser bar to extend therethrough so as to receive and engage said second presser bar, hold screw means, said body portion presenting a laterally facing surface portion having a laterally aligned opening receiving said hold screw means in a manner that said adapter can be properly secured to said second presser bar bysaid hold screw means passing therethrough and into engagement with said presser bar so as to cause said body portion to properly engage said second presser bar.

2. A foot attachment device so arranged that a foot is able to be secured to any selected one of a plurality of different types of-sewing machine presser bars, said device comprising:

(a) a foot component comprising a foot having an ankle portion fixed to, and being upstanding from, the heel of said foot, a forked member fixed to said ankle and having two rearwardly extending spaced tines to define a slot opening therebetween, by which tines said foot component can be secured to a first selected presser bar by hold screw means which reaches through said slot opening and engages said tines in a manner to hold said foot component to said presser bar,

(b) an adapter by which said foot component can be secured to a second selected presser bar different from said first presser bar, said adapter comprising a body portion having a general U shape so as to comprise a forward and rear leg and a web extending laterally therebetween, the U shape of said body defining a recess to receive said second presser bar, hold screw means, said web having a laterally aligned opening receiving said hold screw means which by extending through said opening and into said second presser bar holds said adapter to said second presser bar, said adapter having fastening means by which said adapter can be secured to said foot component with said recess aligned with and opening into the slot opening between said tines to allow said second presser bar to extend therethrough.

3. The device as recited in claim 2, wherein said adapter has at the lower portion thereof slot means to engage said tines along an axis in a tongue and groove relationship whereby said adapter can be secured to said foot component.

4. A foot attachment device so arranged that a foot is able to be secured to any selected one of a plurality of different types of sewing machine presser bars, said device comprising:

(a) A foot component comprising a foot having an ankle portion fixed to, and being upstanding from, the heel of said foot, a foot member fixed to said ankle and having two rearwardly extending spaced tines to define a slot opening therebetween, by which tines said foot component can be secured to a first selected presser bar by hold screw means which reaches through said slot opening and engages said tines in a manner to hold said foot component to said presser bar,

(b) An adapter by which said foot component can be secured to a second selected presser bar different from said first presser bar, said adapter comprising a body portion having a general U-shape so as to comprise a forward and rear leg and a web extending laterally therebetween, the U-shape of said body defining a recess to receive said second presser bar, a hold screw, said web having a laterally aligned opening receiving said hold screw which by extending through said opening and into said second presser bar holds said adapter to said second presser bar, the rear leg of said adapter body being formed with slots to engage said tines in a tongue and groove relationship along the longitudinal axis of said tines,

6 said forward leg of the adapter body being formed with a lower protrusion to engage the upper portion of said ankle in a manner to locate said adapter with respect to said longitudinal axis of said tines.

5. The device as recited in claim 4, wherein said slot opening of said tines is aligned with the recess defined by said adapter so that said second presser bar can extend through said recess and into said slot, one of said tines having a laterally facing cut-out to accommodate a protruding portion of said second presser bar, the other of said tines having an upwardly facing cut-out to receive the lower portion of a head portion of said hold screw.

6. The device as recited in claim 4, wherein said adapter and said foot component have interengaging parts which fit in a slideltongue and groove relationship by which said adapter is secured to said foot component.

7. A foot attachment device so arranged that a foot is able to be secured to any selected one of a plurality of different types of sewing machine presser bars, said device comprising:

(a) A foot component comprising a foot having an ankle portion fixed to, and being upstanding from, the heel of said foot, a forked member fixed to said ankle and having two rearwardly extending spaced tines to define a slot therebetween, by which tines said foot component can be secured to a first selected presser bar by hold screw means which reaches through said slot and engages said tines in a manner to hold said foot component to said presser bar,

(b) An adapted by which said foot component can be secured to a second selected presser bar different from said first said presser bar, said adapter comprising means at the lower end thereof by which said adapter can be secured to said foot component, a body portion having presser bar contacting surfaces which are arranged to define a generally vertically aligned recess to receive said second presser bar, hold screw means, said body having a laterally facing surface portion which has an opening receiving said hold screw means by which said adapter can be secured to said second presser bar so as to hold said bar in said recess, and said recess being so arranged that when said foot component is secured to said adapter, said recess is aligned with the slot defined by the tines of the foot component, with the result that the second presser bar, when secured by the hold screw means to the adapter, is able to extend through the slot defined by said tines.

8. A foot attachment device so arranged that a foot is able to be secured to any selected one of a plurality of different types of sewing machine presser bars, said device comprising:

(a) A foot component comprising a foot having an ankle portion fixed to, and being upstanding from, the heel of said foot, a forked member fixed to said ankle and having two rearwardly extending spaced tines to define a slot opening therebetween, by which tines said foot component can be secured to a first selected presser bar by hold screw means which reaches through said slot opening and engages said tines in a manner to hold said foot component to said presser bar,

(b) An adapter 'by which said foot component can 'be secured to a second selected presser bar different from said first presser bar, said adapter comprising a body portion having a general U-shape so as to comprise a forward and rear leg and a web extending laterally therebetween, the U-shape of said body defining a recess to receive said second presser bar, a hold screw, said web having a laterally aligned opening receiving said hold screw which by extending through said opening and into said second presser bar holds said adapter to said second presser bar, said adapter having at the lower portion thereof 7 V 8 slot means to engage said tines along an axis in a 2,985,127 5/1961 Reeber et a1 112-240 tongue and groove relationship whereby said adapter 3,003,444 10/ 1961 Gray 112-235 can be secured to said foot component, and said 3,011,459 12/1961 McNamara 112-235 X adapter and foot components being each formed With 3,098,460 7/1963 Yoshida 112-235 interengaging parts to provide locating means for 5 the adapter and foot component with respect to one FOREIGN PATENTS another along said axis. 1,068,537 11/1959 y- References Cited by the Examiner JORDAN FRANKLIN, Examiner- UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 AVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, PATRICK D. LAWSON, 285,937 10/1883 Thomas 112 240 Assistant Examiners- 1,930,628 10/ 1933 Small-bone 112240 

1. A FOOT ATTACHMENT DEVICE SO ARRANGED THAT A FOOT IS ABLE TO BE SECURED TO ANY SELECTED ONE OF A PLURALITY OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF SEWING MACHINE PRESSER BARS, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING: (A) A FOOT COMPONENT COMPRISING A FOOT HAVING AN ANKLE PORTION FIXED TO, AND BEING UPSTANDING FROM, THE HEEL THEREOF, A FORKED MEMBER FIXED TO SAID ANKLE AND HAVING TWO REARWARDLY EXTENDING SPACED TINES TO DEFINE A SLOT OPENING THEREBETWEEN, BY WHICH TINES SAID FOOT COMPONENT CAN BE SECURED TO A FIRST SELECTED PRESSER BAR BY HOLD SCREW MEANS WHICH REACHES THROUGH SAID SLOT OPENING AND ENGAGES SAID TINES IN A MANNER TO HOLD SAID FOOT COMPONENT TO SAID PRESSER BAR, (B) AN ADATPER BY WHICH SAID FOOT COMPONENT CA BE SECURED TO A SECOND SELECTED PRESSER BAR DIFFERENT FROM SAID FIRST PRESSER BAR, SAID ADAPTER COMPRISING MEANS TO SECURE SAID ADAPTER TO SAID FOOT COMPONENT AND A BODY PORTION DEFINING A VERTICAL RECESS IN ALIGNMENT WITH AND OPENING INTO THE SLOT OPENING BETWEEN SAID TINES TO ALLOW SAID SECOND PRESSER BAR TO EXTEND THERETHROUGH SO AS TO RECEIVE AND ENGAGE SAID SECOND PRESSER BAR, HOLD SCREW MEANS, SAID BODY PORTION PRESENTING A LATERALLY FACING SURFACE PORITON HAVING A LATERALLY ALIGNED OPENING RECEIVING SAID HOLD SCREW MEANS IN A MANNER THAT SAID ADAPTER CAN BE PROPERLY SECURED TO SAID SECOND PRESSOR BAR BY SAID HOLD SCREW MEANS PASSING THERETHROUGH AND INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID PRESSER BAR SO AS TO CAUSE SAID BODY PORTION TO PROPERLY ENGAGE SAID SECOND PRESSER BAR. 